In the years leading up to the release of Apple’s iPhone 6, the global mobile phone market experienced a significant shift. By 2013, smartphones had begun to decisively overtake feature phones, marking a technological and cultural turning point. Worldwide shipments of mobile devices approached one billion, largely propelled by falling prices, better connectivity, and consumer demand for more capable devices. That year, global smartphone sales surpassed feature phone sales for the first time, ending the era dominated by simpler, non-touch devices. Notably, 2013 saw no new iPhone launch from Apple, which was a strategic gap that allowed competitors, particularly Android manufacturers, to seize market share with larger-screen “phablets” and increasingly powerful hardware.